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Shirlington Library July Programs

Shirlington Library Adult and Family Programs
July 2009

Sunday, July 5, 2 PM – Family Movie Matinee: Bolt (2008) Rated PG, 96 minutes. Directed by Chris Williams. Featuring: John Travolta, Thomas Haden Church and Miley Cyrus.

Monday, July 6, 7 PM – Monday Night Musicals: State Fair (1945) Not rated, 100 minutes. Directed by Walter Lang. Featuring: Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews, Dick Haymes and Vivian Blaine.

Tuesday, July 7, 7 PM – Salute to Hitchcock: The 39 Steps (1935) Not Rated, 86 minutes.
Featuring: Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, and Lucie Mannheim.

Wednesday, July 8, 7 PM – Spanish Yoga Class – This Hatha Yoga Class is taught by a certified yoga instructor and will be conducted in Spanish. Great for both Spanish-speakers and those wishing to practice their Spanish skills while relieving stress and getting fit. Please bring a yoga mat or beach towel and refrain from eating a heavy meal within two hours of the class.

Thursday, July 9, 1 PM – Salute to Hitchcock: Notorious (1946) Not Rated, 101 minutes. Featuring: Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains.

Friday, July 10, 1 PM – Salute to Hitchcock: Rebecca (1940) Not Rated, 130 minutes. Featuring: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Judith Anderson, Nigel Bruce.

Monday, July 13, 7 PM – Salute to Hitchcock: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) Not Rated, 77 minutes. Featuring: Leslie Banks, Edna Best and Peter Lorre.

Tuesday, July 14, 1:30 PM – Ratatouille (2007) Rated G, 110 minutes. Featuring: Brad Garrett, Patton Oswalt, and John Ratzenberger.

Tuesday, July 14, 7 Pm – Salute to Hitchcock: To Catch A Thief To Catch A Thief (1955) Not Rated, 106 minutes. Featuring: Gary Grant, Grace Kelly, and John Williams.

Thursday, July 16, 1 PM – Salute to Hitchcock: The Lady Vanishes (1938) Not Rated, 95 mionutes.

Friday, July 17, 3 PM – Time-Out for Reading with the Washington Mystics – Join members of the Washington Mystics Women’s Basketball Association for story time and snacks and register for free tickets to selected Washington Mystics games.

Saturday, July 18, 11 AM – Home Buying Seminar. Potential First-time Home Buyers are invited to attend this free seminar coordinate through the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA). Six speakers will present information on a variety of topics important to making a first home purchase.

Monday, July 20, 7 PM – Monday Night Musicals: Oklahoma! (1945) Not Rated, 145 minutes. Directed by Fred Zinnemann. Featuring: Gordon MacRae, Gloria Grahame, Shirley Jones and Rod Steiger.

Tuesday, July 21, 7 PM – Salute to Hitchcock: Young and Innocent (1937) Not Rated, 80 minuts. Featuring: Derrick De Marney, Nova Pilbeam and Percy Marmont.

Wednesday, July 22, 7 PM – Spanish Yoga Class.
This Hatha Yoga Class is taught by a certified yoga instructor and will be conducted in Spanish. Great for both Spanish-speakers and those wishing to practice their Spanish skills while relieving stress and getting fit. Please bring a yoga mat or beach towel and refrain form eating a heavy meal within two hours of the class.

Thursday, July 23, 1 PM – Salute to Hitchcock: Rear Window (1954) Rated PG, 112 minutes. Featuring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter, and Raymond Burr.

Saturday, July 25 – Salute to Hitchcock Double Feature
1 PM – Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1940) Not Rated, 95 minutes.
Featuring Carol Lombard and Robert Montgomery.
3 PM – The Trouble with Harry (1955) Rated PG, 99 minutes. Featuring: John Forsythe, Shirley MacLaine, and Edmund Gwenn.

Sunday, July 26, 2 PM – Author Event: Zoe Weil. Zoe Weil, author of Most Good, Least Harm: A Simple Principle for a Better World and Meaningful Life.

Monday, July 27, 6:30 PM – Poetry Workshop

Monday, July 27, 7 PM – Meet the Artists for “A Method to the Madness”. Join Director Michael Fernandez and actor John Bonner who plays the title role in the Firebelly Production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Tuesday, July 28, 1:30 PM – Monster’s Inc. (2001) Rated G, 89 minutes.

Tuesday, July 28, 7 PM – Salute to Hitchcock: Psycho (1960) Rated R, 109 minutes. Featuring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles.

Thursday, July 30, 1 PM – Salute to Hitchcock: North By Northwest (1959) Not Rated, 136 minutes. Featuring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason.

May events at the Shirlington Library

New Eco-Program Series

Wednesday, May 6, 7 PM – GRASP (Green Resources and Sustainable Practices)

Shirlington Branch Library, in partnership with Busboys and Poets and Global Exchange, is launching a new eco-living series, GRASP–Green Resources and Sustainable Practices. GRASP events are held the first Wednesday of every month to explore different aspects of living life in a more environmentally responsible and engaged way.

The first event focuses on the Fair Trade movement. The screening of the film “Black Gold: A Film about Coffee and Trade ” [2006]. Not Rated, 86 minutes. Directed by Marc Francis and Nick Francis, the film will be followed by a discussion of the Fair Trade movement. The discussion will feature Shel Mae-Reinwald, director of Global Exchange Fair Trade Programs, and John Ricker. A complimentary tasting of fair trade coffees and chocolate will follow at Busboys and Poets.

Author Talks:

Tuesday, May 12, 7 PM – Rebecca Daniels, Women Stage Directors Speak: Exploring the Influence of Gender on Their Work.

“Women Stage Directors Speak” looks at 35 female American stage directors, focusing on the issue of gender. Daniels (who teaches at St. Lawrence University) asks the directors such questions as: Does gender affect your authority? How has gender influenced your creative decision making?

Thursday, May 21, 7 PM – Chitra Divakaruni, Shadowland and Palace of Illusion.

Award-winning author and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni discusses her two latest books, “Shadowland” [2009] and “The Palace of Illusion.” [2008] Her themes include women, immigration, the South Asian experience, history, myth, magic and celebrating diversity. She writes both for adults and children and her books have been translated into 20 languages. She teaches Creative Writing at the University of Houston.

Ms. Divankaruni will appear along with her Editor, and they will talk about the writing process as well as the books.

Palace of Illusion –
Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to the time of the Indian epic The Mahabharat—a time that is half-history, half-myth, and wholly magical. Through her narrator Panchaali, the wife of the legendary five Pandavas brothers, Divakaruni gives us a rare feminist interpretation of an epic story.

The novel traces Panchaali’s life, beginning with her magical birth in fire as the daughter of a king before following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Panchaali is swept into their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at the brothers’ sides through years of exile and a terrible civil war. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her stratagems to take over control of her household from her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husband’s most dangerous enemy. Panchaali is a fiery female voice in a world of warriors, gods, and ever-manipulating hands of fate.

In Shadowland fantasy and time travel combine in this thrilling conclusion to a loved trilogy.

When Anand’s beloved Conch goes missing, leaving behind it a devastated Silver Valley, he and his friend, Nisha, are forced to travel into a dystopian world to retrieve it—a world where the air and water have been so severely corrupted that the upper classes live in luxury under hermetically sealed domes, while the lower classes struggle to survive. Ecological and class issues come to a dramatic head in this final Brotherhood of the Conch novel.

Children’s Programs

Sunday, May 3, 1 PM – Family Movie Matinee
1 PM – Pooh’s Heffalump Movie [2005] Rated G, 68 minutes. Directed by Frank Nissen. Featuring: Jim Cummings, John Fiedler, Nikita Hopkins and Peter Cullen. When rumblings that could only come from the much-feared creatures called Heffalumps awaken Pooh and his friends, they set out to protect their home leaving young Roo behind.

2:30 PM – The Tigger Movie [2000] Rated G, 76 minutes. Directed by Jun Falkenstein. Featuring: Jim Cummings, Nikita Hopkins, Ken Sansom, and John Fielder. When Winnie the Pooh and the rest of Tigger’s friends don’t want to play, Tigger gets so lonely that he decides to embark on an adventure to find his family tree and others like him.

Wednesday, May 6, 4 PM – Children’s Nature Program
Arlington County Parks Naturalist, Rachel Tolman, hosts a children’s program on recognizing different birds and learning interesting facts about local birds. This program is recommended for ages 5-12. No registration is required.

Saturday, May 16, 2 PM – Tween & Teen Screens: Night at the Museum
[2006]. Rated PG, 108 minutes. Directed by Shawn Levy. Featuring Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney. Larry Daley just can’t keep a steady job, but he begins to think there may be hope when he is hired as a night watchman at the Museum of Natural History. In his first nightshift, Larry learns that since an old Egyptian stone came to the Museum in 1950, all the exhibits come to life until dawn. When three former night watchmen steal the magical tablet, Larry organizes the historic characters to help him to arrest the criminals and save the museum.

Saturday, May 23, 1 PM – Birds I View Children’s Art Program
Graphic artist Caty Forden, from the Arlington Arts Center, conducts a “Birds I View” art workshop, creating prints inspired by the local birds. For ages 8-12. Registration is encouraged. Walk-in participants will be admitted on a space available basis. Contact the Shirlington Library to register 703-228-6545.

Computer Classes:

Monday, May 18, 6:30 PM – Microsoft Word.

Wednesday, May 20, 2 PM – Power Point.

Saturday May 30, 2 PM – Social Software

Documentary Films:

Wednesday, May 6, 7 PM – GRASP (Green Resources and Sustainable Practices)

Black Gold: A Film about Coffee and Trade [2006]. Not Rated, 86 minutes. Directed by Marc Francis and Nick Francis, the film will be followed by a discussion of the Fair Trade movement. The discussion will feature Shel Mae-Reinwald, director of Global Exchange Fair Trade Programs, and John Ricker. A complimentary tasting of fair trade coffees and chocolate will follow at Busboys and Poets.

Sunday, May 17, 3 PM – Real Life Reels: Casting About [2004] Not Rated. Directed by Barry J. Hershey. This lyrical, feature documentary that explores the captivating experience of casting actors. The viewer sits in the filmmakers seat, watching the actors at work and learning about their lives, vulnerabilities, fears and dreams. The film explores the boundaries between fiction and reality and the dialectic between voyeurism and intimacy.

Feature Films:

Monday Night Musicals:

Monday, May 11, 7 PM – Show Boat
[1951] Not Rated, 108 minutes. Directed by George Sidney. Featuring Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel. The Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein musical brought vividly to the screen. Popular songs include “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man,” “Make Believe” and “Ol’ Man River.” Based on a novel by Edna Ferber, “Show Boat” is widely considered one of the most influential works of the American musical theatre.

Shirlington Screens:

Tuesday, May 5, 7 PM – Hope and Glory
[1987]. Rated PG-13, 112 minutes. Directed by John Boorman. Featuring: Sarah Miles, David Hayman, and Derrick O’Connor. A woman is left alone to cope with a teenage daughter and two small children during the World War II blitz of London. Her story is told from the perspective of her thoughtful seven-year-old son, to whom the war is something else entirely. It’s still bomb shelters and gas masks and even random death, shockingly close at hand. However, the rubble of the boy’s middle class London suburb also makes the greatest playground imaginable for a young boy.

Thursday, May 7, 1 PM – Empire of the Sun
[1987] Rated PG, 152 minutes. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Featuring Christian Bale, John Malkovich and Miranda Richardson. Christian Bale plays Jim, a British schoolboy living in Shanghai, who is separated from his parents in a panicked mob when the Japanese invade China at the beginning of World War II. Jim is eventually imprisoned in a work camp where he befriends an American hustler played by John Malkovich.

Tuesday, May 19, 7 PM – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
[2008]. Rated PG-13, 94 minutes. Directed by Mark Herman. Featuring David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga and Amber Beattie. This film tells the story of the Holocaust through the eyes of 8-year-old Bruno whose father is a Nazi commander at Auschwitz. Bruno strikes up a friendship with a Jewish boy, Shmuel, through the fence surrounding the camp where everyone wears striped “pyjamas.” Their friendship will have startling and unexpected consequences for both of them.

Thursday, May 21, 1 PM – Life is Beautiful
[1998]. Rated PG-13, 122 minutes. In Italian with English subtitles. Directed by Roberto Benigni. Featuring Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giustino Durano, and Sergio Bustric. An Italian family’s idyllic life comes to a halt when they are shipped to Nazi camps during World War II. The father convinces his son that everything around them is a zany game to spare his son from the horrors of concentration camp imprisonment in this poignant comedy.

Lectures:

Wednesday, May 27, 7 PM
Birds I View: Adult Gardening Workshop. Arlington County Parks naturalist Rachel Tolman shows the way to plan a garden to attract and support local birds.

Shirlington Library April Programs

Arlington Reads:

Sunday, April 26, 3 PM – Arlington Reads Round Table Discussion – The Supreme Beat: A Round Table Discussion with Journalist Who Cover the US Supreme Court.

Moderated by Toni Locy, Donald W. Reynolds Professor of Legal Reporting at Washington and Lee University. Panel: Tony Mauro, Reporter, Legal Times; Jan Crawford Greenburg, US Supreme Court Correspondent, ABC News.

The discussion will focus on the current tenor of the court, recent notable decisions and the likely course of the court under the Obama administration.

Author Talks:

Thursday, April 2, 7 PM – Author Talk: Paul McGeough, Killing Khalid: The Failed Mossad Assassination of Khalid Mishal and the Rise of Hamas.

In a headlong narrative—with high-speed car chases, negotiated prisoner exchanges, and an international scandal that threatened to destabilize the entire region—acclaimed reporter Paul McGeough uses unprecedented, extensive interviews with Khalid Mishal himself and the key players in Amman, Jerusalem, and Washington to tell the definitive, inside story of the rise of Hamas.

Paul McGeough is the former executive editor of Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald and the author of three books on the Middle East. He has twice been named Australian Journalist of the Year and in 2002 was awarded the Johns Hopkins University–based SAIS Novartis Prize for excellence in international journalism.

Wednesday, April 15, 7 PM – Author Talk: Aram Roston, The Man Who Pushed America to War: The Extraordinary Life, Adventures, and Obsessions of Ahmad Chalabi.
“as a piece of journalism The Man Who Pushed America to War is stringently researched and objective in tone. Though it would be easy to portray Chalabi as a con-man, Roston remains detached about his character throughout. The result is a strong and timely piece of research into an extraordinary man whose ‘inexplicable certitude in his own entitlement’ helped to bring war and ruin an entire country.”
—The Times of London Literary Supplement

Aram Roston is an investigative journalist with NBC News. He has written for the New York Times Magazine, Mother Jones and The Nation.

Monday, April 27, 3 PM – ALRI Lecture: Meet the author, Robert Earl, Nights in the Pink Motel.

Robert Earle’s book Nights in the Pink Motel recounts his experience and insights gained as Ambassador Negroponte’s Senior Adviser in Iraq seeking to reverse the negative consequences of the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq.

Robert Earle has held senior positions in the U.S. foreign affairs and intelligence communities for twenty-five years, including serving as Ambassador Negroponte’s senior adviser in Iraq and later as counselor to the deputy secretary of state. He is the recipient of the Christian A. Herter Award for contributions to American diplomacy.

Monday, April 27, 7 PM – Author Talk: Peter Schmidt, Color and Money: How Rich White Kids Are Winning the War Over College Affirmative Action.

“Schmidt is uniquely qualified to write this history as a former Education Week journalist and current The Chronicle of Higher Education editor. He leaves no stone unturned in reviewing the legal, educational and political history of affirmative action. From Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 to Grutter v. Bollinger in 2003, from Gunnar Myrdal’s iconic An American Dilemma to The Shape of the River by former Ivy League presidents Derek Bok and William Bowen, and from 60’s cultural and political unrest to current backlash ballot initiatives Schmidt provides a definitive chronicle.” – Bruce J. Jones, National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Tuesday, April 28, 7 PM – Author Talk: Patricia Foxen, In Search of Providence: Transnational Mayan Identities.

This ethnography juxtaposes the context of post-war reconstruction at home, shaped by a fragile institutional peace process and emerging pan-Maya movement, with the hidden, marginal lives of mostly undocumented K’iche’ transmigrants in New England, and describes the continuous movement of people, money, symbols, and ideas between the two locations.

Patricia Foxen is a Research Associate at the Toronto General Hospital, Women’s Health Program. She has worked as an anthropologist for the Transcultural Psychiatry Division of Montreal Children’s Hospital.

Book Discussions:

Monday, April 13, 7 PM – This month, as part of the community book read, you are asked to join the World Café Group Book Discussion of The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin at the Central Library.

Next month we will resume Book Discussions on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM and the first Thursday of the month at 11 AM. May’s selection is Evidence of Things Unseen by Marianne Wiggins.

Computer Classes:

Wednesday, April 15, 3:30 PM – Computer Class: Intro to the Internet.

Monday, April 20, 6:30 PM – Computer Class: Intro to Power Point

Wednesday, April 22, 3:30 PM – Computer Class: Intro to Word

Friday, April 24, 3 PM – Computer Class: Intro to Word

Lectures:

Monday, April 6, 7 PM – Page to Stage: a conversation with Assistant Director, Matthew Gardner, about the play, See What I Wanna See.

Sunday, April 26, 3 PM – Arlington Reads Round Table Discussion – The Supreme Beat: A Round Table Discussion with Journalist Who Cover the US Supreme Court.

Moderated by Toni Locy, Donald W. Reynolds Professor of Legal Reporting at Washington and Lee University. Panel: Tony Mauro, Reporter, Legal Times; Jan Crawford Greenburg, US Supreme Court Correspondent, ABC News.

The discussion will focus on the current tenor of the court, recent notable decisions and the likely course of the court under the Obama administration.

Monday, April 27, 3 PM – ALRI Lecture: Meet the author, Robert Earl, Nights in the Pink Motel.

Robert Earle’s book Nights in the Pink Motel recounts his experience and insights gained as Ambassador Negroponte’s Senior Adviser in Iraq seeking to reverse the negative consequences of the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq.

Robert Earle has held senior positions in the U.S. foreign affairs and intelligence communities for twenty-five years, including serving as Ambassador Negroponte’s senior adviser in Iraq and later as counselor to the deputy secretary of state. He is the recipient of the Christian A. Herter Award for contributions to American diplomacy.

Kids Corner:

Gaming:

Monday, April 6, 1-4 PM – Family Gaming at the Library. Come play wii sports: Super Smash Bros: Dance, Dance Revolution and other games at the library. Recommended for kids 6 and older.

Movies:

Sunday, April 5, 2 PM – Family Movie Matinee: Kit Kittredge: an American Girl (2008) Rated G, 101 minutes. Directed by Patricia Rozema. Featuring: Abigail Breslin, Stanley Tucci, and Jane Krakowski.

Based on the American Girl series of dolls and books, Kit Kittredge is a young girl living in the struggles of the Great Depression. Living in a boarding house with her parents in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kit has a passion for writing and dreams of having her work published someday.

Wednesday, April 8, 2 PM – Family Movie Double Feature: Madagascar (2005) Rated PG, 86 minutes. Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath. Featuring: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith and David Schwimmer.

At New York’s Central Park Zoo, a lion, a zebra, a giraffe and a hippo are best friends living a blissful domesticated life in captivity. When one of them turns up missing, the others search for him only to find themselves on a ship headed to the exotic island of Madagascar. When their boat wrecks, these native New Yorkers must take on a much different jungle in this computer-animated comedy.

Wednesday, April 8, 6 PM – Family Movie Double Feature: Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa (2008) Rated PG, 89 minutes. Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath. Featuring: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett-Smith.

This sequel brings back lovable New York Zoo Animals, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo. Still stranded in Madagascar, they manage to leave the island only to land in the wilderness of Africa. There, Alex meets the rest of his family but has trouble communicating after his time at the Central Park Zoo in this hilarious animated adventure.

Saturday, April 25, 2 PM – Tween & Teen Screens: Speed Racer (2008) Rated PG, 135 minutes. Directed by Larry Wachowski and Andy Wachowski.

Hurtling down the track, running over and through the competition, Speed Racer is a natural behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless in his incredible Mach 5 built by his father. When he runs into a plot by the devious Royalton Company to fix the top races he must find a way to beat them at their own game.

Story Time:

Tuesdays at 4 PM – Drop-in Family Story Time

Poetry Workshop:

Sunday, April 19, 2 PM – Poetry Workshop “A Passion for Poetry”, with Tim Lewis of the Writer’s Institute, Charlottesville, VA.

Mr. Lewis is the Author of The Virginiad, an epic work of poetry, song, culture, and craft. The scope of The Virginiad ranges from First Contact in 1607 to the present day and traces the history of Virginia through the eyes of the common people.

This entry/mid-level poetry workshop will discuss and practice the meaning and passion of poetry. Participants will explore the role of poetry in our lives, how to find a deeper personal truth and understanding through poetry, and how to better express themselves through discovery of our own inner poetic voice. Participants will write a poem based on what is learned and, if you wish, finish by reading the poems written.

The workshop is limited to 20 participants. Registration is recommended. Walk-ins will be accommodated on a space available basis. To register please contact the Shirlington Poetry Forum at gkoury@arlingtonva.us or 703-228-0326.

Monday, April 27, 6:30 PM – Poetry Workshop, an informal gathering of poets to work on their writing and share their work.

Movies:

Family and Teens:

Sunday, April 5, 2 PM – Family Movie Matinee: Kit Kittredge: an American Girl (2008) Rated G, 101 minutes. Directed by Patricia Rozema. Featuring: Abigail Breslin, Stanley Tucci, and Jane Krakowski.

Based on the American Girl series of dolls and books, Kit Kittredge is a young girl living in the struggles of the Great Depression. Living in a boarding house with her parents in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kit has a passion for writing and dreams of having her work published someday.

Wednesday, April 8, 2 PM – Family Movie Double Feature: Madagascar (2005) Rated PG, 86 minutes. Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath. Featuring: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith and David Schwimmer.

At New York’s Central Park Zoo, a lion, a zebra, a giraffe and a hippo are best friends living a blissful domesticated life in captivity. When one of them turns up missing, the others search for him only to find themselves on a ship headed to the exotic island of Madagascar. When their boat wrecks, these native New Yorkers must take on a much different jungle in this computer-animated comedy.

Wednesday, April 8, 6 PM – Family Movie Double Feature: Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa (2008) Rated PG, 89 minutes. Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath. Featuring: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett-Smith.

This sequel brings back lovable New York Zoo Animals, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo. Still stranded in Madagascar, they manage to leave the island only to land in the wilderness of Africa. There, Alex meets the rest of his family but has trouble communicating after his time at the Central Park Zoo in this hilarious animated adventure.

Saturday, April 25, 2 PM – Tween & Teen Screens: Speed Racer (2008) Rated PG, 135 minutes. Directed by Larry Wachowski and Andy Wachowski.

Hurtling down the track, running over and through the competition, Speed Racer is a natural behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless in his incredible Mach 5 built by his father. When he runs into a plot by the devious Royalton Company to fix the top races he must find a way to beat them at their own game.

Monday Night Musicals:

Monday, April 13, 7 PM – Monday Night Musicals: Kiss Me Kate (1953) Not Rated, 109 minutes. Directed by George Sidney. Featuring: Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson.
A superior film version of Cole Porter’s stage hit and adapted from Shakespeare’s The Taming Of The Shrew, Kiss Me Kate includes outstanding songs such as “So In Love,” “Too Darn Hot” and the humorous “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”

Shirlington Screens:

Saturday, April 4, 2 PM – Shakespeare in Love (1998) Rated R, 122 minutes. Directed by: John Madden. Featuring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Judi Dench, and Geoffrey Rush.
William Shakespeare, a struggling young playwright, suffers from writer’s block in this witty, fast-moving romantic comedy set in London in 1593. When Shakespeare meets and falls instantly in love with the startlingly beautiful Viola, his creative powers are unleashed as Romeo and Juliet, one of the greatest and most tragic love stories of all time.

Tuesday, April 7, 7 PM – Hamlet (2000) Rated R; 111. Directed by Michael Almereyda. Featuring: Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Bill Murray and Julia Stiles.

Corporate bigwigs are royalty and New York City skyscrapers are 21st century castles in this edgy adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy. Uncle Claudius claims Hamlet’s mother as his queen and Denmark Corporation as his domain after murdering Hamlet’s father. A bloody string of revenge murders ensues when Hamlet’s plot to kill Claudius and recover Denmark Corporation backfires.

Thursday, April 9, 1 PM – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935) Not Rated, 117 minutes. Directed by Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle. Featuring: James Cagney, Dick Powell, Olivia DeHavilland and Mickey Rooney.

Love is in the air as well as up in the air in this dreamy film adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Mischievous fairy Puck (Mickey Rooney) causes all sorts of shenanigans for the royal lovers in this moonlit romantic fantasy.

One of the most ambitious projects undertaken by Warner was this film adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The production is that of a major Hollywood studio; the underlying interpretation was Shakespeare’s romantic fantasy; the nominal subject was ancient Athenian legend. Out of all these seemingly incompatible elements emerged a coherent, even fantastic film.

Tuesday, April 14, 7 PM –The Taming of the Shrew (1967) Rated PG; 122 minutes. Directed by Franco Zefirelli. Featuring: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare’s less than ecstatic view of married life, is brought to life with an exceptional cast. Elizabeth Taylor is the evil tempered Katharine and Richard Burton is Petruchio, the one who tames her. They bring their own distinctive zest and attractiveness, not to mention authoritative acting ability, to a timeless play.

Thursday, April 16, 1 PM – Shirlington Screens: Macbeth (1971) Rated R; 140 minutes. Directed by Roman Polanski. Featuring: Jon Finch, Francesca Annis and Martin Shaw.

“Polanski favors a brutally realistic, down-and-dirty approach to the text… In other words, Polanski doesn’t grovel before a sacrosanct text. He wrestles with the words, and brings his own not insignificant talent to bear on the source.” John Murphy, Bardolatry.com

Tuesday, April 21, 7 PM – Richard III (1995). Rated R; 105 minutes. Directed by Richard Loncraine. Featuring: Ian McKellen and Annette Bening.

A disfigured and ruthless tyrant, Richard III, played by Ian McKellan, will stop at nothing, including murder, to lay claim to the English throne in this 1930s daunting, but visually stunning reworking of William Shakespeare’s tragedy.

Thursday, April 23, 1 PM – Romeo and Juliet (1968). Rated PG; 138 minutes. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. Featuring: Olivia Hussey, Leonard Whiting, Milo O’Shea and Michael York.

Shakespeare’s classic romance comes to stunning visual life in a beautiful interpretation by famed film director, Franco Zeffirelli. This film is noted for bringing new vitality and a fresh insight to this classic love story.

Thursday, April 30, 1 PM – Much Ado About Nothing (1993). Rated PG, 111minutes. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. Featuring: Kenneth Branagh, Michael Keaton, Emma Thompson, and Denzel Washington.

Two love stories intermingle, one mischievously funny and the other sweetly poignant, in Shakespeare’s sexy and sparkling comedy. Kenneth Branagh, Michael Keaton, Emma Thompson, and Denzel Washington star in this critically acclaimed hit fraught with mistaken identity and rousingly amusing adventures.

Shirlington Library March programs

Sunday, March 1, 2 PM – Family Movie Matinee Horton Hears a Who (2008) Rated G , 86 minutes. Directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino. Featuring: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett and Amy Poehler.

Monday, March 2, 7 PM – Page to Stage: a conversation with Matt Conner. Matt Conner has been performing, composing, teaching, and music directing in the DC-area for the last eleven years. Join him at the library and hear more about his newest musical, The Next Generation project, and Matt’s life in theatre.

Tuesday, March 3, 7 PM Shirlington Screens: Frida (2002) Rated,120 minutes.Directed by Julie Taymor. Faeatruing: Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Antonio Banderas, Edward Norton.

Wednesday, March 4, 7 PM – Networking Workshop
Master the 3 key moments in every relationship. Steer small talk to uncover resources and opportunity. Become the natural and only choice when opportunity arises. Know what to do and say in a variety of professional situations.

Thursday, March 5, 1 PM – Shirlington Screens: A League of Their Own (1992) Rated PG, 128 minutes. Directed by Penny Marshall. Featuring: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Rosie O’Donnell, Madonna, Bill Pullman, Garry Marshal.

Saturday, March 7, noon – Songs for Tots with Tara Chiusano.
Recommended for kids aged 2 – 6. Join singer and story-teller, Tara Chiusano, for a lively and interactive program for young children. The program is a combination of traditional and original songs that encourage early-literacy, teach colors, counting, and some English and Spanish phrases.

Monday, March 9, 7 PM – Monday Night Musicals: Brigadoon (1954) Not Rated, 108 minutes. Directed by Vincente Minnelli. Featuring: Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, and Cyd Charisse.
Wednesday, March 11, 4 PM – Intro to Google

Thursday, March, 12, 1-4 PM – Wii for Adults.
Want to learn how to golf or bowl without leaving the house? Can’t get a chance to play with your kid’s game system? Would you like a chance to practice Wii games before your next visit with the Grandchildren? Come try the fun Wii sports at the Shirlington Library in sessions especially for adults.

Saturday, March 14, 1-4 PM – Got a Gadget and wii party.
Got an iPod, MP3, or cell phone but don’t know how to use it? Let a “Tech Savvy Teen” show you how. Stay for games on the Wii for all ages.

Sunday, March 15, 2 PM – Tween & Teen Screens: The Dark Knight. (2008)
Rated PG-13, 152 minutes. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Featuring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart and Gary Oldman.

Monday, March 16, 6:30 PM – Intro to Email

Tuesday, March 17, 7 PM – Shirlington Screens: Waitress (2007) Rated PG-13 ,108 minutes. Directed by Adrienne Shelly. Featuring: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, and Andy Griffith .

Wednesday, March 18 – Author Talk, Maurice Jackson, Let This Voice Be Heard. Anthony Benezet (1713-84), universally recognized by the leaders of the eighteenth-century antislavery movement as its founder, was born to a Huguenot family in Saint-Quentin, France. As a boy, Benezet moved to Holland, England, and, in 1731, Philadelphia, where he rose to prominence in the Quaker antislavery community.

In this wide-ranging intellectual biography, Maurice Jackson demonstrates how Benezet mediated Enlightenment political and social thought, narratives of African life written by slave traders themselves, and the ideas and experiences of ordinary people to create a new antislavery critique.

“Maurice Jackson has given us an invaluable examination of a remarkable man who stood at the very foundation of the antislavery movement in the 18th century. Anthony Benezet’s extraordinary story of generosity and commitment is told in Jackson’s thoroughly researched, readable book.” Edward P. Jones, author of The Known World.

Thursday, March 19, 1 PM – Shirlington Screens: Bend it like Beckham (2002) Rated PG-13, 112 minutes. Directed by Gurinder Chadha. Featuring: Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Juliet Stevenson.

Sunday, March 22, 3 PM – Author Talk, David Lozell Martin, Losing Everything.

In Losing Everything, his first book of nonfiction, acclaimed novelist David Lozell Martin tells his wildest, most outlandish story yet — his own.

Deeply personal yet surprisingly universal, Martin’s story is for anyone who has wandered astray. If not a road map, his journey is a guide, providing hard-earned wisdom to illuminate the path home.

David Lozell Martin’s previous novels include international bestsellers Lie to Me and Tap, Tap and the critically acclaimed The Crying Heart Tattoo, The Beginning of Sorrows, and Crazy Love. Facing Rushmore is his eleventh book. Martin lives in the Washington, D.C. area.

Monday, March 23, 6:30 PM – Intro to Internet
Tuesday, March 24, 7 PM – Author Talk: Derek Hira, New Urban Renewal.

Two of the most celebrated black neighborhoods in the United States—Harlem in New York City and Bronzeville in Chicago—were once plagued by crime, drugs, and abject poverty. But now both have transformed into increasingly trendy and desirable neighborhoods with old buildings being rehabbed, new luxury condos being built, and banks opening branches in areas that were once redlined. In The New Urban Renewal, Derek S. Hyra offers an illuminating exploration of the complicated web of factors—local, national, and global—driving the remarkable revitalization of these two iconic black communities.

Wednesday, March 25, 7 PM – Author Talk: E. Ethelbert Miller, The 5th Inning.

The 5th Inning is poet and literary activist E. Ethelbert Miller’s second memoir. Coming after Fathering Words: The Making of an African American Writer (published in 2000), this book finds Miller returning to baseball, the game of his youth, in order to find the metaphor that will provide the measurement of his life. Almost 60, he ponders whether his life can now be entered into the official record books as a success or failure.

The 5th Inning is one man’s examination of personal relationships, depression, love and loss. This is a story of the individual alone on the pitching mound or in the batters box. It’s a box score filled with remembrance. It’s a combination of baseball and the blues.
Thursday, March 26, 2 PM – Intro to Email

Saturday, March 28, 2 PM – Reel Life Reels: Pysanka: The Ukrainian Easter Egg (1976) and Sheep in Wood (1971) Directed by Slavko Nowytski. Discussion with the film maker follows the screenings.

“Pysanka: The Ukrainian Easter Egg” the award-winning film reveals the myth and magic behind the batik-type process of making pysanky which have survived the centuries. Pysanka, winner of the Gold Hugo, best Educational – Chicago International film festival.

“Sheep in Wood” this short features the late Jaques Hnizdovsky, who creates his woodcut of two rams in combat, complemented by an original music score by the renowned French composer Marian Kousin.

Monday, March 30, 6:30 PM – Poetry Workshop.